England seal series victory

Michael Vaughan led England to a first series win in South Africa for 40 years as the final Test meandered to a stalemate today.

Vaughan replicated the feat of MJK Smith, the successful captain during the winter of 1964-65, after the tourists - set an unlikely 185-run target in 44 overs on a worn surface - negotiated the final session without major discomfort.

They suffered a blip when three wickets went down in just over an hour, but time proved an ally after South Africa's inability to press the accelerator earlier in the day.

South Africa captain Graeme Smith insisted in the pre-match build-up that he was a "go-for-broke" leader - yet today he shirked the opportunity to risk losing in search of a series-levelling win.

As it was England, who bowled their opponents out in two sessions at the Wanderers last week to take a 2-1 lead, became only the second country behind Australia to win here since South Africa were re-admitted to world cricket in 1991-92.

Twin centuries from Proteas' third-wicket pair Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers helped pile up 163 runs in a 35-over first session.

Instead of throwing the bat after the interval, however, the hosts continued to score at at the same rate and denied their attack a realistic chance of pressurising the English batsmen.

It was deep into the middle session, after a clutter of dismissals, that Smith finally called his players in - immediately following the dismissal of Mark Boucher.

All-rounder Kallis finished unbeaten on 136, his third hundred of the series and 20th at Test level, after a marathon stand with 20-year-old de Villiers whose maiden international ton followed his top score 92 in the first innings.

Needing early breakthroughs to keep their thin hopes alive, South Africa were given a perfect start when Andrew Strauss - the leading run-getter in the series with 656 - was held low at second slip by Kallis in Makhaya Ntini's opening over.

Number three Robert Key chained himself to the crease for 10 overs, before Shaun Pollock trapped him lbw with one which straightened to beat a jab across the line.

Opener Marcus Trescothick highlighted the necessity of application with an untypical, virtually strokeless innings of seven which spanned 43 balls until Ntini snaked one through a tentative prod forward to knock over off-stump.

From a position of 20 for three in the 15th over, Vaughan closed out a series which England were initially comfortable favourites to win, let slip and then grabbed back in the end.

Although veteran Graham Thorpe did perish in Ntini's second spell, Andrew Flintoff showed the patience of his first-innings 77 once again as England finished on 73 for four.

The tourists began the fifth day with a chance of victory. But high-class batting initially from Kallis and de Villiers against a willing if battle-weary attack ensured such a result would be achieved only by virtue of calculated manufacture.

Resuming on 59 for two, a deficit of 53, South Africa were soon under way as Kallis beat the infield and found the ropes all around the wicket.

A straight drive down the ground for four brought up the 50-run partnership, and de Villiers upped his own tempo with a pull for six off Matthew Hoggard - recalled before start of play to England's one-day squad after a two-year absence, with all-rounder Flintoff due to fly home tomorrow to have his troublesome left ankle operated on.

Able to take full part here after a cortisone injection which eases the discomfort from the painful bone spur, Flintoff is now expected to undergo surgery to cure the problem permanently and be ready for the Ashes in six months' time.

If Kallis began with greater gusto this morning de Villiers' precocious talent closed the gap as both men reached three figures from 164 deliveries, replicating cuts for four off Simon Jones to achieve their landmarks.Arguably, however, the pair got caught up in registering their personal milestones rather than playing with the abandon required by their team-mates.

The youngster fell when an attempted lofted drive spiralled in the opposite direction to the one intended, down to third man off Glamorgan's Jones.

Fellow fast bowler Stephen Harmison then halted a barren spell, which spanned 59 overs, with the dismissal of Smith whose swish went aerial to point where substitute Paul Collingwood held on despite looking into the sun.

Having waited two Tests for a solitary success, former world number one Test bowler Harmison claimed a second in as many overs when Jacques Rudolph lost his off bail to a perfect off-cutter as the South Africans got clogged up.

Fittingly Hoggard, whose 12-wicket haul in Johannesburg sealed England's second victory of the tour, chipped in once again as Boucher flicked to short midwicket to signal the declaration.